Proverbs 3
1 [My] son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:
My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
2 for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:
Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
4 so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
And thou shalt And grace and good understanding before God and men.
5 Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.
Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.
6 In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.
In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
7 Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
I Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
8 Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.
For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
10 that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.
And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
11 [My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:
12 for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
13 Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
14 For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:
15 And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.
16 For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
17 Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.
18 She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.
19 God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
20 By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
21 [My] son, let [them] not pass from [thee], but keep my counsel and understanding:
My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
22 that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:
And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
23 that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.
Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
24 For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.
If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
26 For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.
For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
27 Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have [power] to help [him].
Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
28 Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do [him] good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.
Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and tomorrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.
29 Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.
Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
30 Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.
Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
31 Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.
Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
32 For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.
33 The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
34 The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
35 The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.
